Fuel-feeding device for internal-combustion engines.



l W.JAY. *ru atr-senme DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

J APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15. I9l5- Patented Sept. 7, 191 5.

- SUCTION LINE.

LIQUID SUPPLY LINE.

'UNHED sraras was ar, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FUEL-FEEDING DEvIcEToR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WEBB JAir, a citizen of the United'States, residing at Chicago,

in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented-new and useful Improvements in F uel-F eeding Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved device for supply ng liquid fuel to aninternal combustion engine.

It consists in the elements and features 5 of construction shown and described as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 1s an axial section of a device embodying this mvention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view show-. ing the device in lts relatlon to the carbuvice on the valve stem.

In the drawings A represents the main low-level liquid fuel supply tank. connected by conduit 1, with an elevated liqu d fuel receptacle, C, which is in turn connected by ipipe, 2, with the carbureter, D, for delivering the liquid fuel to the latter, and by a pipe, 3, with the engine manlfold for producing by the suction of the engine partial vacuum in the upper chamber of the receptacle, C, by which the liquid fuel is drawn from the low level tank, A, into said receptacle, according to a principle of operation,

which is well understood. The receptacle, B, has an upper interior chamber, C -w1th to which the conduit, 1, is conn cted for delivering the'liquid fuel to sai" chamber and with which the conduit, 3,, 1s connected for producing. partial vacuum in said chamber. In the chamber, C, 1ere is a float, G, which is operatively connected with a v l 11 which controls an atmospheric air inlet to said chamber at the top thereof, the valve v/being seated, except when it is lifted from its seat by the rise of the float to a predetermined height to admit atmospheric air pressure and to interrupt the suction action for drawing the liquid'fuel from the low level tank into the chambelyC and permit the liquid already drawn into .said chamber a to flow out therefrom through the dlscharge fitting, K, at=the bottom thereof, which specification of Letters Patent. I Patented Sept. 7, 1915. Application filed February 15, 1915. Serial 1v... 8,143. I

leads into the lower chamber, C of the receptacle, C, such outflow being controlled by a check valve, L, which is normally seated 'closing tl1e said discharge passage, but is opened by the pressure of the liquid in the arana orricn.

chamber, C whenever that pressure operates normallthat is, when it is not relieved or prevents bythe existence of a partial vacuum above theliquid in the chamber, C The lower chamber, C of the receptacle, C,

which is continued in the annular portion,

C around the chamber, C is at all times exposed to atmospheric pressure admitted through the nipple, M. In the actual construction of all devices of this character heretofore of which I am aware the suction inlet has been provided with a valve controlling it and operating so as to be open tothe suction to produce partial vacuumin the chamber containing the float until the float rises to a predetermined height, the valve being then closed by the movement of the float so as to interrupt the suction, while at the same time the atmospheric inlet valve is open to admit the atmospheric pressure and permit the liquid fuel to drain into the lower chamber or to be otherwise discharged for serving the carbureter.

In the construction shown herein the suction inlet through the chamber G having the float and into which the liquid is to be drawn by the production of partial vacuum in said chamber, is without any valve controlled in any manner by the float or by the slevel of the liquid in the chamber. On'the contrary the suction inlet is designed to be and is shown at all times open so that wherever there is a, condition in the manifold which would produce suction through the conduit, such suction operates to produce a partial vacuum in the chamber containing the float.- The port for suction communication, however, is made small relatively to the atmospheric air inlet, so that when the at- .mospheric air inlet is opened by the rising of the liquid level to a predetermined point, the suction is overcome or neutralized, air suflicient to supply the demand produced by such suction being freely admitted through the atmosphere inlet, so that substantially no vacuum or reduction of pressure is caused in the chamber, and the liquid therein experiences substantially atmospheric pressure for causing or permitting its discharge into the lower chamber. In-actual experience]:

' tion port one-twentieth of an inch in diameter, and an atmosphere port not less than twice the area of the'suction port; but the atmosphere port may be many times the,

area of the suction port'up to the limit the area over which the atmospheric pressure construction over'those heretofore employedis that it dispenses withall the valve-operating mechanism which have been usually provided to be actuated by the float and which it was necessary to design and construct so that the two valves, that controllmg the atmospheric inlet and that controlling the suction outlet, should be seated and unseated simultaneously.

' It is preferable to employ a check valve 3 in the conduit, 3, leading to the engine manifold, seating backhtoward the receptacle, C, opening with the suction toward the manifold-so that pressure shall not be produced in the receptacle during the exhaust stroke of the engine, that is,-so that only suction shallbe produced'through the conduit-by the operation of the engine. I

,It will be understood that the connection with the engi e manifold is only a preferred method and t theessential methodof deriving necessary suction, and when referring inimy claims to the suction connections, I do not desire to be limited to connection with the engine manifold.

In the operation of the device as shown, the comparatively large area ofthe air controlling valve, H, causing the partial v vacuum produced in the chamber during the time of filling, to operate to causethe air controlling valve to be held on its seat with considerable atmospheric pressure will have.

the effect that when the float rises to the stop, on the valve stem, h, it will not immediately begin to lift the valve from its seat, but will be arrested in its rise for some little time while the suction continues and further inflow of liquid continues until the accumulated upward pressure upon the float is suflicient to overcome the downward pres sure of the atmosphere on the valve, and thereupon the valve will he suddenly pushed from its seat, and the float rising to the full extent. permitted; by the check h, being buoyed by the liquid, will carry thevalve instantly and not' gradually the fulldistancefrom its seat necessary toafford the maximum air inlet, so that there will be no time at which the air supply admitted past the atmosphere inlet valve is just balanced against the suction produced through the suction port, (which, if suchbalance should occur, would stop the operation of the de- 7 'vice), and on the contrary there is always either a large preponderance of suction, when-the atmosphere inlet valve is closed, or a large preponderance of atmospheric pressure,when the atmosphereinlet valve is open.

It will be understood-that the range from low level to high level of the liquid in the chamber, .0, is substantially the measure of the downward pressure of the valve, H, due to the partial vacuum produced in the chamber, because the float is held down by the pressure until the liquid rises enough above the level which it occupies when the valve seats to overcome that pressure, in order to buoy the float to make it unseat .thevalve; and so the liquid level will fall without lowering the float until the level is low enough so that the float is no longer thus buoyed. The advantage of allowing the.

float a range of play on the valve stem is that in case theengine is stopped while the atmosphere port is open, the valve, H, be-

coming seated'without any suction to hold it firmly on its seat, the slight leakage which in that case will occur past the valve, aided by the leakage 'past the checkvalve, 3, will permit the discharge of the liquid from the chamber, C into the lower chamber so as to fill said lower chamber and afford an adequate supply for. starting the engine;

whereas, if the float were fast on the stein the weight of the float would seat the valve, H, securely by the time the liquid level had fallen only slightly below the point at which the float would be relieved of upward pressure. chamber, C should be entirely emptied the lower stop, 72?, is provided on the valve stem at a point which-will cause theweight of the float to act on the valve, H, before the liquid level falls lower than is desirable.

I,claim:' l 1. In a fuel supply apparatus for internal combustion engines, in combination with a low level supply tank, a receptacle at. a higher level having a liquid supply connection from said low level tank, and a dis charge connection 7 adapted for supplying liquid by gravity,-said receptacle comprising a chamber which is closed except as to the connections mentioned and the atmosphere inlet and suction port hereinafter mentioned said chamber having a valve-controlled.

Since it is not desirable that the c atmosphere inlet and a continuously open suction port, the atmosphere inlet being relatively large and the suction port being relatively small; a float in said chamber operatively connected with. the atmosphere inlet valve for opening the latter when the float rises.

2. In a fuel supply apparatus for internal combustion engines, in combination with a low level supply tank, a receptacle at a higher level having a liquid supply connection from said low level tank, and a discharge connection adapted for supplying liquid by gravity, said receptacle comprising a chamber which is closed except as to the connections mentioned, and the atmosphere inlet and suction, port hereinaftermentioned, said chamber having a valve-controlled atmosphere inlet and a continuously-open suction port, the atmosphere inlet being relatively largeand the suction port being relatively small; a float in said chamber operatively connected with the atmosphere inlet valve for opening the latter, when the float rises, 15

the connection between the float and the valve being such as to allow a wide range of movement of the float relatively to the valve.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set 20 R. H. VVALPOLE,

W. Rose. 

